Steve Cooper was pleased to see his Nottingham Forest side go into the World Cup break off the bottom of the Premier League after their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Morgan Gibbs-White continued to show why Forest broke their transfer record to sign him in the summer as his second-half goal earned the win that moves them to within a point of West Ham and Everton, who sit just above the relegation zone.
It was the perfect end to the first phase of their return to the top flight after 23 years away and will give them real hope they can kick on after the World Cup and pull away from relegation danger after a third win of the campaign.
“Whatever happened today it was never going to be a great league position, let’s be honest, but it could have been worse and that is pleasing and it just allows us to go into the break not suffering after a defeat,” Cooper said after celebrating with the home fans.
“Enjoy some time away and think about what it is going to take to do well going forward. We need to get back together and work hard to make the break a productive one.
“The fist-pumps aren’t really something I want to do when you’re down at the bottom, but I just felt it was such a well-deserved win for the players and the supporters. And it was a nice bit of togetherness at the end of the game.
“I really, really wanted the supporters to be able to go into the break with a positive result. We got that. Nobody is getting carried away, of course – even though I might have for 10 seconds.
“I just thought we were good for the win. We rode our luck a little bit with the penalty. Whether it’s a pen or not is something I’ll look back on. But Dean [Henderson] hasn’t had a save to make. They haven’t had a shot on target. We have. We created the real moments and chances in the game.
Wilfried Zaha misses a penalty for Crystal Palace at the City Ground. Photograph: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
“The best team won, for sure. I’ve got a lot of respect for Patrick and how his teams play; they’ve got a lot of good players and it was a dangerous game. But we really stuck to the gameplan and what we thought it would take to win.”
Things might have been different had Wilfried Zaha scored a first-half penalty he had won after being bundled down by Forest skipper Joe Worrall. But he missed a fourth spot-kick of 2022 and Palace faded badly after that.
Patrick Vieira still has full faith in Zaha on penalty duties, with a record of seven scored from 11 taken.
“How many has he scored? There is zero doubt in my mind. I am still confident in him,” the Palace manager said.
“We had our moment in the first half and again we didn’t take our chances, we didn’t score that first goal. I think the first half we competed and we played some good football.
“Away from home we should manage the game better and if we can’t win the game we should make sure we don’t lose the game. I think the game overall reflects our season so far, we showed some good stuff but we lack consistency.
“We have to analyse the performance, we have to improve, I have to find better solutions or different formations but I don’t think that is the problem.
“In the second half we showed a lack of experience and discipline but we have young players that need to grow.”
A year and a day since his installation as Newcastle’s manager, Eddie Howe endured a nailbiting cup tie culminating in a penalty shootout. Thanks to Nick Pope’s excellence it ended well.
The England goalkeeper’s saves from Luka Milivojevic, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Malcolm Ebiowei atoned for misses from Sven Botman and Bruno Guimarães to send the home side into the fourth round after a 90 minutes in which Marc Guéhi and the rest of Patrick Vieira’s back five relished frustrating their hosts.
“We got through a very difficult, tight game,” said Howe. “That’s the important thing. I don’t think it was a great performance but Nick Pope is a very commanding figure. He’s a great size and his saves were top-drawer.”
Howe had earlier been both amused and inspired to learn that Newcastle last won a trophy – the 1969 Fairs Cup – before humankind walked on the moon. Neil Armstrong’s pioneering steps were made in July that year, a month after Newcastle overcame Hungary’s Ujpest Dozsa 6-2 on aggregate.
The chances of something shiny and new finally being displayed alongside it in the St James’ Park trophy cabinet were enhanced on Wednesday when Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian-led owners revealed they have invested a further £70m in the club, to be divided between infrastructure improvements and player recruitment.
Howe evidently felt sufficient confidence in his squad to make eight changes to the side who won 4-1 at Southampton on Sunday. Callum Wilson, Newcastle’s first-choice centre-forward, did not even feature on the bench on the eve of an expected call-up to England’s World Cup squad.
Bruno Guimarães (centre) made an appearance two days after discovering he will be in Brazil’s World Cup squad. Photograph: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United/Getty Images
With Chelsea due on Tyneside for a Premier League match on Saturday, Wilson’s in-form fellow forward, Miguel Almirón, began on the bench and attracted loud cheers as he took a light jog down the touchline. Howe’s largely second-string XI were starting slowly and looking a little uncertain defensively, with Pope required to make an excellent save to keep a low, left footed shot from Mateta out.
Although Vieira had also heavily reshuffled his team, with Wilfried Zaha and Eberechi Eze not even featuring on the bench, Palace shaded a low-key first half during which a record League Cup attendance at St James’ Park of 51,660 could have done with a bit more entertainment.
James Tomkins and Chris Wood combined to very nearly offer them some at the outset of the second half but, although Wilson’s deputy intercepted the Palace defender’s ill-advised back-pass, Sam Johnstone reacted smartly to save Wood’s ensuing shot. Almost immediately, Palace responded. A rapidly counterattacking Jordan Ayew left a trail of home markers in his wake only for the striker’s eventual shot to fly just over the bar.
Allan Saint-Maximin frequently frustrated Vieira when he played for him at Nice and the Newcastle winger, recently recovered from injury, threatened to further annoy his old manager as his fancy footwork conjured a fine chance ultimately headed into the ground by Dan Burn.
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Angelo Ogbonna missed the crucial penalty as a youthful Blackburn dumped West Ham out of the Carabao Cup 10-9 on spot-kicks. After 19 successful penalties Ogbonna’s effort crashed off the underside of the crossbar to send Championship side Rovers through to round four following a 2-2 draw at the London Stadium.
It was a deserved win for a callow Rovers side with an average age of just 22 and a half as Jon Dahl Tomasson made 11 changes with more than one eye on Sunday’s Championship derby against promotion rivals Burnley. They led through an early goal from Jack Vale before Pablo Fornals hauled West Ham level and Michail Antonio put the hosts in front.
But the substitute Ben Brereton Díaz, Rovers’ top scorer, sent the match to a shootout and Italian defender Ogbonna was the fall guy. The result means that all six top-flight London clubs have gone out in the fourth round, with third-tier Charlton the only team from the capital in Thursday’s fourth-round draw.
Boubacar Traoré’s late winner sent Wolves through, the substitute striking with five minutes left to down much-changed Leeds and seal a 1-0 victory for the hosts. It settled an uneventful game which looked to be heading to penalties and gave the incoming Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui and his coaches food for thought.
Lopetegui is due at the club’s Compton training base on Friday, before watching Saturday’s visit of Arsenal, before officially taking charge on Monday. The former Spain manager’s lieutenants were at Molineux having already briefly introduced themselves to the squad. PA Media
Photograph: Rob Newell/CameraSport
Howe had seen enough and ordered his Brazil midfielder and local cult hero Guimarães to prepare to come on alongside Kieran Trippier and Botman in a triple substitution.
Once Guimarães had seized control of midfield, Almirón was also sent on. His arrival coincided with Palace starting to indulge in a little time-wasting, which ultimately succeeded in forcing penalties.
The scene was set for Pope’s heroics, and Jordan Pickford’s England international deputy rose to the challenge, in the process offering Gareth Southgate a timely reminder that he is a shootout specialist.
“It was a tough one,” said Vieira. “But we just have to battle on.”
Crystal Palace playing well away from Selhurst Park and winning is a story not told too often. Michael Olise’s injury-time winner, spinning off the shin of Aaron Cresswell and beyond a hapless Lukasz Fabianski was reward for playing the better football. A game headed for a forgettable draw changed in mere seconds into a famous win.
It had been only a few minutes ago that Paul Tierney, the referee, had followed the advice of VAR and ruled out a late West Ham penalty awarded for Marc Guéhi’s supposed pull on Michail Antonio. Palace had set off with the greater purpose and retained it until the latter stages when they almost threw it away only to find it again in chaotic final seconds.
Eberechi Eze forced an early, skidding save from Fabianski, and ought to have done better when the ball fell to his inferior left foot soon after. Still, Palace’s No 10 was pulling the strings, the home fans vocal in their frustration.
A visibly displeased David Moyes took on the role of baseball-capped agitator from his technical area, Jarrod Bowen flashing wide from a counterattack represented a more positive sign. When Tomas Soucek’s tackle and Lucas Paquetá’s stabbed pass found Saïd Benrahma, he still had Palace defenders for company but his taste for the spectacular meant he was only going to take one option. A right-footed lash gave Vicente Guaita no chance.
Palace, struggling to look like scoring despite still dominating territory, then received a gift. Thilo Kehrer dallied in trying to play out, sold short by Craig Dawson’s pass. Eze stole in, passed to Wilfried Zaha, who finished powerfully and celebrated aggressively.
Moyes’ half-time response was to send on Antonio for Gianluca Scamacca, a first-half passenger but the direction of travel remained similar. Eze flashed a shot wide. West Ham were still hemmed in and Olise cut in from the left to shoot past the other post.
Wilfried Zaha equalises for Crystal Palace in the first half against West Ham. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters
There were cross words exchanged and a booking given to Dawson for an aerial challenge that knocked Guaita to the floor in West Ham’s first attacking move of the second half. Then came one of those moments common to these pre-World Cup times. Paqueta, back in West Ham’s team after a shoulder problem, screamed in anguish after a tackle from Jordan Ayew, rolling over several times. Was his Qatar dream dead? It appeared not. The Brazilian, his ankle checked over, continued on.
Moyes was the recipient of boos when he chose to sub off Benrahma, yet cheered when Soucek was withdrawn from his 100th Premier League appearance. Benrahma milked the applause. The Algerian has previously divided fans but an ability to deliver brilliance on an irregular basis make him very much a West Ham archetype. And would probably qualify him for membership of Patrick Vieira’s merry band of entertainers, too.
The arrival of Manuel Lanzini and Flynn Downes gave West Ham a greater foothold. When Antonio loped through on to a long ball, falling to the floor as Guéhi came across him, it seemed the match was the Hammers’. Then, via the usual lengthy wait, came the ruling that his fall had been a tad too theatrical to transform this match into a home win.
Brimming with injustice, Antonio set off on one last run, warming the hands of Guaita with a cross from the right. That seemed that, only for the ball to almost immediately end up with Olise, coming in off the right. Via Cresswell, and beyond Fabianski’s despairing reach, Palace had claimed a highly enjoyable win.
Time is against Dominic Calvert-Lewin in his quest to return to the England squad for the World Cup but, in front of the watching Gareth Southgate, the Everton striker produced a hugely influential display as Frank Lampard’s side ended their losing streak in emphatic style against Crystal Palace.
The England international scored the opener and helped create the second for Anthony Gordon as Everton recorded their biggest win of the season. Dwight McNeil applied the gloss with a fine third against Patrick Vieira’s subdued side, who struggled against Everton’s energy and the presence of Calvert-Lewin all afternoon. With only three more Premier League games before the World Cup an England return for the 25-year-old appears remote, but this was a vivid demonstration of his importance to Everton.
Addressing the lack of goals and creativity in the Everton squad – one that had scored a meagre 70 in the previous 72 league games since Boxing Day 2020 – is next on Lampard’s agenda having reinforced his defence and midfield in the summer. The issue dominated his pre-match press conference after Everton had failed to register a shot on target in their previous two defeats at Newcastle and Tottenham. Lampard was consistent in his response: it would improve with hard work and the return to full fitness of Calvert-Lewin. The Everton manager’s belief was vindicated inside 11 minutes.
Calvert-Lewin was handed only his second start of a season disrupted by injury as Lampard named an unchanged team from the one that toiled at St James’ Park on Wednesday. It was a generous show of faith that was rewarded with an energetic and positive opening. There was no sign of confidence suffering from three consecutive losses as Everton took the game to a surprisingly sloppy and passive Palace team.
The breakthrough encapsulated the start made by both sides. Calvert-Lewin hunted down Luka Milivojevic deep inside the visitors’ half and stole possession from a hesitant Palace captain. The dirty work done, the centre-forward immediately set off for the penalty area to receive a return ball from Alex Iwobi. His first touch took him away from a tumbling Marc Guéhi and created space for a precise, low finish beyond Vicente Guaita in the Palace goal. It was Calvert-Lewin’s first goal since securing Everton’s Premier League status with a diving header against Palace 156 days ago and a timely reminder to the watching England manager.
Everton looked to release Anthony Gordon against left-back Tyrick Mitchell at every opportunity. They succeeded frequently, courtesy of the accuracy of Iwobi, James Tarkowski and Amadou Onana, but Gordon was unable to capitalise in the first half. He did test Guaita, however, with a rising drive from 25 yards that the Palace keeper tipped over.
Anthony Gordon doubles Everton’s lead from close range at Goodison Park. Photograph: Tony McArdle/Everton FC/Getty Images
Palace awoke from their lethargy midway through the opening period but aside from a tame header from Joachim Andersen and an angled shot from Wilfried Zaha, both straight at Jordan Pickford, they rarely threatened the Everton goal. The biggest concern inside Goodison Park was the erratic refereeing of Simon Hooper. When Odsonne Édouard did breach the home defence and looked to play Zaha through on the left, Séamus Coleman, 13 years to the day since his Everton debut, showed excellent awareness and pace to intervene.
Coleman also denied Zaha with a superb tackle inside the area when Palace made a determined start to the second half. Conor Coady followed suit with a vital touch to divert Eberechi Eze’s close range effort wide when he looked set to convert Jordan Ayew’s cross to the near post.
Everton brought themselves the comfort of a second goal after a fine counter-attack started by Calvert-Lewin’s lay-off to Iwobi. Demarai Gray found Onana, who released Vitalii Mykolenko in space on the left. The Ukraine international’s low drive was spilled by Guaita into the path of Gordon and he tapped in to an empty goal. The winger was clearly onside when Mykolenko shot yet it was initially flagged offside. VAR set the record straight much to the delight of Idrissa Gueye, who sprayed a water bottle into Gordon’s face.
Gordon and Calvert-Lewin departed to standing ovations before substitute McNeil polished victory with a delightful third. The summer signing darted away from two tired challenges on the left and released Iwobi inside the area. Iwobi back-heeled the ball first time into the path of the former Burnley winger, who swept a shot past Guaita from close range.
Wolves’ search for a new manager may soon border on the panic-stricken after Julen Lopetegui turned them down and then a possible emotional return for Nuno Espírito Santo also fell by the wayside. Whoever succeeds Bruno Lage on a long-term basis requires quick solutions within a squad that has lost its previous defensive solidity and shipped cheap goals while scoring five all season.
Crystal Palace, with Michael Olise excellent, Eberechi Eze getting their equaliser and Wilfried Zaha the winner, showed the value of speedy, inventive attackers. “With the quality we’ve got we’ll always score goals,” as Eze put it.
Wolves have talent, too, in evidence during their excellent goal, a move set up by the skills of Daniel Podence and Rúben Neves and crashed in at the back post by Adama Traoré. But whenever a new manager is sourced, theirs already looks a season-long fight against relegation unless greater pace and creativity are injected.
Steve Davis, as interim, ploughs on “one game at a time”, as he put it, but Diego Costa’s continuing role as Wolves’ workhorse is a further indicator of the desperation.
Costa’s younger self would surely have done better with the early chance that came his way. Played through by Podence, a split second’s hesitation gave Vicente Guaita the chance to make a save. The wait for a first goal in English football since the 2017 FA Cup final continues.
Hugo Bueno, a 20-year-old from Wolves’ usual Iberian catchment area, this time Vigo, was given a first start at left-back, a minute against Forest his only previous first-team experience.
The counter from which Traoré scored explained why Bueno had been selected. His overlapping run and cross were those of a high-class veteran. Traoré’s header was also strikingly adept for someone who scored only once last season for Wolves and none on loan at Barcelona.
Even if Davis declared the youngster “excellent” and that “he didn’t let anyone down”, Bueno’s inexperience, more so the lack of protection given by colleagues, would prove key to defeat. Olise, forever surging in from the flank, gave him a frightful chasing at times.
Adama Traoré heads Wolves into a first-half lead. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters
Palace ended up winning a game where they might have been two down at half-time. Neves cracked the post with almost the final kick of the first 45 minutes when Palace had offered far more in attack.
“I was disappointed at half-time because we didn’t deserve to be 1-0 down,” Patrick Vieira said. His players had left the field to grumbles from the Holmesdale End but within seconds of the second-half whistle, they were level. Bueno allowed Olise space to cross to the back post and Nélson Semedo was yet more lax in allowing Eze to steal in.
Wolves’ danger on the counter remained and a triple substitution that brought on Gonçalo Guedes, João Moutinho and Joseph Hodge was Davis’s attempt to shore up midfield. Injury precluded Traoré from being able to play any longer. The switch failed to pay off; Palace continued to create the better chances.
Not long after Odsonne Édouard had narrowly missed an overhead, the striker ran on to Eze’s excellent through-pass and laid up Zaha to slot coolly past José Sá.
The club captain, of whom Vieira said his role has become one “to help those young players around him”, celebrated a first goal since August. “This is what it takes in the Prem,” the match-winner said. “We knew we had it within us and we got what we deserved. I took it upon myself to move from left wing and float a bit.”
Eventually Costa could give no more, and left the field after one last skirmish in the 74th minute. He has at least added a focal point. Without him Wolves pushed on gamely, bemoaned a Marc Guéhi handball that VAR overlooked and Guaita was asked to make a couple of saves. Nathan Collins also looked to have missed an all-time sitter, only for an offside flag to spare his blushes.
Palace’s season had previously been marred by hard-luck stories, of points squandered from winning positions but this was a win seized by moments of quality. “We have players who are capable of scoring goals,” Vieira said. How Wolves must covet that.
Even the boos felt a touch halfhearted as apathy reigned at the final whistle, when a section of Leicester supporters made their disdain clear, calling for Brendan Rodgers to be sacked. The hosts played out a lethargic draw with Crystal Palace that does little to ease the pressure on their manager, whose side remain marooned in the relegation zone after one win from 10 games.
Gareth Southgate was in the stands but this was an afternoon when nobody did themselves any favours, with James Maddison booked for a dive deep into four minutes of second-half stoppage time.
Rodgers acknowledged the onus was on his players to rouse supporters with a performance to get behind, preempting the predictably subdued atmosphere that filled this stadium before and after the final whistle, and this stalemate surely sapped any glimmer of enthusiasm. Leicester were not dreadful but they were painfully harmless, probing with little joy and lacking conviction when it mattered.
Harvey Barnes came alive in the first half, darting inside Joel Ward and playing a one-two with Patson Daka, again preferred to Jamie Vardy in attack. But the Leicester winger ran out of road and Vicente Guaita rushed out of goal, skidding on his knees to put the barriers up.
The Leicester manager, Brendan Rodgers, tries to encourage his players. Photograph: Peter Powell/Reuters
Palace also underwhelmed and aside from Odsonne Édouard forcing a fine save from Danny Ward, who clambered low to his right to prevent a second-half shot that went through the legs of Daniel Amartey squeezing in at his near post, they barely worked the worst defence in the league.
Eberechi Eze lashed a shot over after Wilfried Zaha, who was muted, shifted the ball infield and Édouard earlier squared without finding a Palace shirt in the six-yard box. Leicester’s crowd were understandably restless and Patrick Vieira cut a weary look as stoppage time loomed. He was not the only one.
One “freak” result – as Jürgen Klopp put it – has transformed the mood inside Liverpool after they condemned Rangers to the joint-heaviest defeat in their history at Ibrox on Wednesday. The next, and more onerous, challenge is to ensure an emphatic first away win changes the momentum of an inconsistent season. Manchester City and a rested Erling Haaland pose the most formidable threat but the 7-1 win in Glasgow, or certainly the standard of the second-half display, has to be the benchmark for a team that comfortably beat Rangers at Anfield last week before underperforming in defeat at Arsenal. With 13 points separating the two teams who have dominated the title race in recent years, Liverpool cannot afford another false dawn. Their intensity will be key, according to Andy Robertson. “We need to get consistency back into our game, back into our performance,” said the fit-again full-back. “We have to play with that intensity again. At our best we know we can cause problems to any team. Anything below that and it will be a difficult afternoon.” Andy Hunter
2) Another chance for Casemiro to shine
Casemiro began Sunday’s first Premier League start at Everton being mugged by Amadou Onana, whose intervention led to Alex Iwobi’s opener. From this quasi-disastrous moment the Brazilian showed character and class to become Manchester United’s star act in a comprehensive performance that featured tackles, interventions, metronomic passing and the precisely weighted 40-yard ball that created Cristiano Ronaldo’s winner (and his 700th career strike). Here was evidence of why the 30-year-old was pivotal in Real Madrid’s five Champions League triumphs since 2013-14 and an encouraging sign of how influential he may prove in Erik ten Hag’s rebuild. Particularly old news is how the 20-times champions have struggled for a generation – since Michael Carrick was signed in 2006 – to sign a midfielder of requisite quality so maybe, at last, Casemiro will be the man. It’s very early days, but after having to wait for his chance due to Scott McTominay’s form it will be a surprise should Casemiro not again be in the XI for the visit of Newcastle United. Jamie Jackson
Casemiro shares a joke during Manchester United training. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
3) Rodgers and out?
The internet is renowned as a reliable source of information, Twitter in particular. As such, we have no reason and certainly no desire to disbelieve the story that broke on the platform this week – that Leicester have banned all Tannoy birthday greetings, after requests that regards be passed on to “Zak Rodgers” and “Brenda Nout”. In a sense, though, its veracity doesn’t actually matter, because the reality remains the same: many Leicester fans have lost faith in the man who just last year brought them the only FA Cup win in their 138-year history. Moreover, it is unarguably the case that few managers turn such antipathy around. And it seems likely that, with Leicester bottom of the table and few obvious relegation candidates immediately above them, there are only so many more reverses the club are likely to allow. As such, another against Palace – whose speed and quality makes them a suboptimal opponent for any side, never mind one in desperate need of a win – may mean the end. Daniel Harris
4) Doherty’s chance to regain Conte trust
Remember this game in early March? Frank Lampard does. “Lampard’s going down,” taunted the Tottenham support, jumping in two-footed on the Everton manager, whose team were hammered 5-0. To the Spurs crowd, Lampard will always be a villain due to his Chelsea connections. On a lower-profile level, Matt Doherty will remember this game. Trusted by Antonio Conte at right wing-back, it was something of a turning point. Doherty was outstanding, providing two assists and revelling in the freedom to get forward. Conte would count on him thereafter – until a knee ligament tear ended his season in mid-April. Doherty has struggled to recover his levels from that purple patch, mainly for fitness reasons. But with Emerson Royal banned after his red card against Arsenal, Conte started Doherty in last Saturday’s win at Brighton, when he was solid. The manager could prefer Ivan Perisic on the right against Everton, which would be a blow to Doherty. What he craves is the opportunity to regain momentum. David Hytner
5) A lesson in the Blues for Villa
It doesn’t edify the clubs involved in it, but never has The Battle for the Top FourTM been as intense as this season. Which makes things difficult for Graham Potter who, as well as handling Todd Boehly’s multi-dimensional ego, must also contend with managers more experienced in life at the top end of the table. But so far, he’s doing a pretty decent job – in large part because he quickly decided that Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are his go-to attackers, so picks them in nearly every game. Villa, on the other hand, are struggling to score, and though Steven Gerrard was right to demand more from his creators, he is also part of the problem, constantly tinkering having built a strong squad with no obvious first team. Now it is time for him to settle on an XI and allow it to groove; the same wrong team playing together every week will be better than playing an altogether different team every week. DHa
Tyrone Mings and Emi Martínez during Villa’s 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
6) Leeds’ future bright but present depends on Bamford
Leeds may have collected only two points from their last possible 15 and could arguably do without facing Arsenal at Elland Road but at least their longer-term future looks bright. They possess one of England’s best academies, and already this season Sonny Perkins, Mateo Joseph, Joe Gelhardt, Wilfred Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville and Sam Greenwood have shone for the Under-21s. Foremost among that little lot have been Perkins and Joseph: the two 18-year-old strikers cannot stop scoring, with Perkins having registered eight goals in eight games this term and Joseph nine in eight appearances. Gnonto and Gelhardt are currently ahead of that duo on the path towards Jesse Marsch’s first team but Perkins and Jospeh may not be all that far behind. For the moment though, everything hinges on Patrick Bamford returning to full fitness. It is no exaggeration to say his ability to remain on the pitch could represent the difference between success and failure for Leeds this season. Louise Taylor
7) More Midlands desperation
Of the Premier League’s bottom five, four are from the Midlands – bad for the area but great for those who enjoy the needle, desperation and devastation that only football rivalries provide. Both Forest and Wolves have made the news in the last week: the former handed Steve Cooper a surprise new contract before firing the head of recruitment and head scout, and the latter were rejected by Julen Lopetegui, their choice to replace Bruno Lage. Generally speaking, this is no big deal – no one knows whether he was right for the job – but more specifically, it feels problematic. Given the story broke on Tuesday, it’s now Friday and Wolves remain managerless, the likelihood is that the formulation of a thorough contingency plan was not deemed necessary. Ultimately, both of these clubs look set for a long winter. DHa
8) Hammers the latest Hasenhüttl threat
West Ham made a slow start to the season, winning just one of their first seven league games, but in recent weeks there have been signs of improvement. It’s true that their two victories came in home fixtures against Wolves and Fulham, but they are a much better side now than the one which subsided to meek defeat at Forest. Declan Rice looks more like his usual self and Jarrod Bowen has rediscovered the form of last season, while Gianluca Scamacca has settled and Lucas Paquetá is showing the class that prompted his signing. That makes them difficult opponents for a Southampton side that followed victory over Chelsea by scoring just once in the process of losing four on the trot and, while defeat against Manchester City can be excused, consecutive reverses against Wolves, Villa and Everton cannot. Consequently, they now sit 17th, a position it is hard to see them improving this weekend – or in the near future. DHa
9) First win could get De Zerbi era up and running
One point from meetings with Liverpool and Spurs probably goes down as par for Roberto De Zerbi’s first two games in charge of Brighton. They were arguably worth more than a narrow defeat in the latter but did not quite click in attack and, in any case, the Italian’s methods will take time to sink in. “He wants us to dictate play from the back and it is all about how we react to the pressure that is coming on us, to make spaces,” said the defender Adam Webster. “We have to take risks but, as long as we’re in the right positions, we can get out.” High risk and high reward have characterised De Zerbi’s career so far; he will hope for plenty of the latter against Brentford, who have only won one in six since demolishing Manchester United. A first win for the new regime would suggest Brighton can stick around in the table’s other reaches and ease any uncertainty about destabilising effects of Graham Potter’s departure. Nick Ames
Roberto De Zerbi during Brighton’s defeat to Tottenham last weekend. Photograph: Javier García/Rex/Shutterstock
In August, there weren’t many who expected these sides to still be in the top division come next season, so the current table – in which Bournemouth are eighth and Fulham ninth – is both surprising and affirming. It is not clear whether Bournemouth are a Championship side with Championship players enjoying a new-manager bounce against opponents unfamiliar with what they do, or whether the two wins and three draws since Gary O’Neil took temporary charge is their standard. Fulham, on the other hand, boast individuals whose work may just keep them up. João Palhinha was an excellent acquisition, Andreas Pereira is thriving with regular football in his favourite position and Aleksandr Mitrovic seems, finally, to have cracked the Premier League. We don’t know whether he has recovered from an injury sustained on international duty in time to play – and, with the World Cup imminent, it would be no surprise if he was circumspect – but either way, a reliable goalscorer looks the major point of difference between the sides. DHa
Eberechi Eze had waited a long time for this moment. More than 18 months after his last goal here, the Crystal Palace midfielder’s late winner ensured Patrick Vieira’s side picked up only their second Premier League victory of the season following a spirited comeback against Leeds.
Eze missed the majority of last season as he recovered from the ruptured achilles tendon he sustained in May 2021 but has shown signs of being back to the form that almost earned him an England call-up for Euro 2020. But while this was by no means a vintage performance from the 24-year-old after Palace fell behind to Pascal Struijk’s goal, Vieira will be delighted with the way he and his teammates responded to their early setback.
Odsonne Édouard’s equaliser after Patrick Bamford squandered a great chance against his former club gave Eze the platform to steal the headlines in the second half as Palace moved level on points with Jesse Marsch’s side. Given that Palace had failed to record a victory since beating Aston Villa here on 20 August and began the game level on points with Wolves in the bottom three, Vieira opted to go on the attack. Tyrick Mitchell lost his place at left-back to Jeffrey Schlupp, while there was a return in central defence for Joachim Andersen.
But if the prospect of seeing Eze and Michael Olise lining up in central midfield was an exciting one for the home supporters, the reality was not quite as convincing as Leeds took the initiative from the start. A poor back pass from Marc Guéhi that forced goalkeeper Vicente Guaita to give away possession set the tone for a mistake-riddled opening from the hosts that culminated in Struijk’s early breakthrough.
A brilliant mazy dribble from the outstanding Brenden Aaronson took him past several half-hearted challenges and the American’s curling shot bounced back off the far post into the path of Struijk. His shot was straight at Joel Ward on the goalline but the ball found its way through the Palace captain’s legs and into the net.
Pascal Struijk strikes to give Leeds an early lead at Selhurst Park. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Things could have been even worse for Vieira had Guaita not come to Palace’s rescue soon afterwards when Bamford was played through on goal. Marsch said before kick-off that the striker who ended his loan spell at Selhurst Park from Chelsea early back in 2015 after growing frustrated with a lack of opportunities under Alan Pardew is in “the strongest condition since I arrived here”. But Bamford missed a golden chance to remind Palace fans of what they have been missing when Guaita parried his early shot away to safety.
A two-goal lead would not have flattered Leeds, such was their dominance, yet Bamford’s miss was to prove a pivotal moment in the first half. Olise’s free-kick to the back post was perfectly weighted for Édouard to guide his header past Illan Meslier and VAR decided that the striker was inches onside. There was a significant delay when Jordan Ayew’s head needed to be heavily bandaged after a collision following a corner, although the Ghana forward was allowed back on to the pitch almost immediately.
Marsch – who was back on the touchline after serving a one-match ban for his dismissal against Brentford – left the pitch in animated conversation with fourth official Graham Scott. Perhaps in an attempt to replicate their strong start, Leeds were sent out early for the second half but it was Wilfried Zaha who forced Meslier into a save just three minutes in. The Ivory Coast forward had reportedly been feeling unwell before the match and barely touched the ball until then.
Luckily for Palace, they have other sources of creativity these days and a perfectly weighted through ball from Eze for Ayew should have been dispatched before Édouard headed over from Olise’s floated cross. Suddenly the game seemed to be Palace’s for the taking.
Marsch responded by withdrawing Bamford for Crysencio Summerville, while Ayew and Cheick Doucouré, after a particularly busy afternoon, made way for Palace. For a few minutes, the substitutions seemed to have taken the pace out of the game. But there was no denying Eze his match-winning goal after a well-worked move down the left flank saw Zaha flick the ball into his path from substitute Mitchell’s cross and the midfielder hammered home his shot from the edge of the box.
